Darjeeling 4 Apr 2016 The Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League has become the third party to extend support to the two Trinamool Congress candidates in the hills for the Assembly election. The announcement was made today by ABGL president Bharati Tamang from her residence after a hill TMC delegation met her led by Darjeeling TMC candidate Saradha Subba.

The ABGL president said, “The TMC delegation that came visiting today requested us to support the two candidates in the hills, namely in Kurseong and Darjeeling, and we have agreed to do so. The main reason why we are supporting the Trinamool is because, along with the general public of the hills, we want change.”

The TMC has fielded Subba in Darjeeling and Shanta Chhetri in Kurseong. In Kalimpong, they are supporting Jan Andolan Party candidate Harka Bahadur Chhetri. The other two political parties extending support to the TMC are the JAP and the Gorkha National Liberation Front. The TMC has also formed committees comprising representatives of the JAP and the GNLF for campaigning purposes.

Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League - a file Photo

Earlier, the ABGL had decided to field its own candidates in Darjeeling and Kurseong, but changed plans eventually, saying do so would mean division of votes. Ganesh Lama is the only candidate fielded by the ABGL for the election, and he is contesting from Nagarkatta.

Responding to the support received from the ABGL, hill TMC general secretary NB Khawas said, “We met the ABGL president today at her residence and requested her party’s support for our candidates in Kurseong and Darjeeling, and she has agreed to do so. We are now more confident of winning in the election with three parties supporting us. We will try to hold joint campaigns wherever we feel they are necessary, but these things have to be discussed first.”